Symptoms and Illnesses
When visiting a clinic or speaking with a doctor in China, it is important to describe your symptoms clearly.
For example:
“I have a headache and fever” can be translated as 我头痛还有发烧 (wǒ tóutòng hái yǒu fāshāo) – I have a headache and fever.
“I feel dizzy and tired” becomes 我感到头晕和疲劳 (wǒ gǎndào tóuyūn hé píláo) – I feel dizzy and tired.
“My stomach hurts after meals” is 我饭后肚子疼 (wǒ fàn hòu dùzi téng) – My stomach hurts after meals.
“I have been coughing for three days” translates to 我咳嗽已经三天了 (wǒ késòu yǐjīng sān tiān le) – I have been coughing for three days.
These sentences are essential for communicating with doctors, nurses, or pharmacists accurately.
Visiting the Hospital and Clinic
When navigating hospitals (医院, yīyuàn) or clinics (诊所, zhěnsuǒ), knowing practical sentences helps.
“Where is the pharmacy?” becomes 药房在哪里 (yàofáng zài nǎlǐ) – Where is the pharmacy.
“I need to make an appointment with a doctor” is 我需要预约医生 (wǒ xūyào yùyuē yīshēng) – I need to make an appointment with a doctor.
“Is there an emergency room?” translates 有急诊室吗 (yǒu jízhěnshì ma) – Is there an emergency room.
“I need a prescription for my medication” becomes 我需要开药方 (wǒ xūyào kāi yàofāng) – I need a prescription for my medication.
These sentences help expats find care quickly and avoid confusion when visiting medical facilities.
Discussing Treatments and Medications
Understanding how to talk about treatments (治疗, zhìliáo) and medications (药, yào) is crucial.
“This medicine should be taken twice a day” translates to 这种药一天吃两次 (zhè zhǒng yào yī tiān chī liǎng cì) – This medicine should be taken twice a day.
“Do I need to fast before the test?” becomes 我做检查前需要空腹吗 (wǒ zuò jiǎnchá qián xūyào kōngfù ma) – Do I need to fast before the test.
“The injection might hurt a little” is 打针可能会有一点疼 (dǎzhēn kěnéng huì yǒu yìdiǎn téng) – The injection might hurt a little.
“I need to take this medication with water” translates 我需要用水服用这种药 (wǒ xūyào yòng shuǐ fúyòng zhè zhǒng yào) – I need to take this medication with water.
Expressing Health Concerns and Conditions
Expressing your health concerns helps doctors understand your situation better.
“I have allergies to certain foods” is 我对某些食物过敏 (wǒ duì mǒuxiē shíwù guòmǐn) – I have allergies to certain foods.
“My blood pressure is high” translates 我的血压很高 (wǒ de xuèyā hěn gāo) – My blood pressure is high.
“I feel short of breath sometimes” becomes 我有时觉得呼吸困难 (wǒ yǒushí juéde hūxī kùnnán) – I feel short of breath sometimes.
“I am diabetic and need insulin” is 我是糖尿病患者，需要胰岛素 (wǒ shì tángniàobìng huànzhě, xūyào yídǎosù) – I am diabetic and need insulin.
Talking About Appointments and Medical Procedures
Scheduling and asking about procedures is common when living abroad.
“I have an appointment with Dr. Wang at 3 PM” translates 我下午三点和王医生有预约 (wǒ xiàwǔ sān diǎn hé wáng yīshēng yǒu yùyuē) – I have an appointment with Dr. Wang at 3 PM.
“How long will the surgery take?” is 手术需要多长时间 (shǒushù xūyào duō cháng shíjiān) – How long will the surgery take.
“Is this procedure safe?” becomes 这个手术安全吗 (zhège shǒushù ānquán ma) – Is this procedure safe.
“Can I get a copy of my medical report?” translates 我可以拿一份我的病历报告吗 (wǒ kěyǐ ná yí fèn wǒ de bìnglì bàogào ma) – Can I get a copy of my medical report.
Emergency Situations and Urgent Care
Knowing emergency (紧急, jǐnjí) sentences is critical.
“Call an ambulance!” is 叫救护车 (jiào jiùhùchē) – Call an ambulance.
“I fainted and need help” becomes 我晕倒了，需要帮助 (wǒ yūndǎo le, xūyào bāngzhù) – I fainted and need help.
“There is severe bleeding” translates 出血很严重 (chūxiě hěn yánzhòng) – There is severe bleeding.
“My friend swallowed something poisonous” is 我的朋友吃了有毒的东西 (wǒ de péngyǒu chī le yǒudú de dōngxī) – My friend swallowed something poisonous.
Asking for Advice on Health and Wellness
Expat students may also want to discuss health advice or wellness.
“What is the best way to prevent a cold?” translates 预防感冒的最好方法是什么 (yùfáng gǎnmào de zuì hǎo fāngfǎ shì shénme) – What is the best way to prevent a cold.
“Should I take vitamins every day?” is 我每天应该吃维生素吗 (wǒ měitiān yīnggāi chī wéishēngsù ma) – Should I take vitamins every day.
“Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?” becomes 怀孕期间运动安全吗 (huáiyùn qījiān yùndòng ānquán ma) – Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy.
“How often should I have a medical checkup?” translates 我应该多久做一次体检 (wǒ yīnggāi duōjiǔ zuò yí cì tǐjiǎn) – How often should I have a medical checkup.
Vocabulary
- 头痛 (tóutòng) – headache
- 发烧 (fāshāo) – fever
- 咳嗽 (késòu) – cough
- 药房 (yàofáng) – pharmacy
- 预约 (yùyuē) – appointment
- 药方 (yàofāng) – prescription
- 注射 (zhùshè) – injection
- 过敏 (guòmǐn) – allergy
- 手术 (shǒushù) – surgery
- 紧急 (jǐnjí) – emergency
